What Makes You Beautiful
by ReginaCaelum
Summary: Or, in which Mako learns Korra is the only woman in the Four Nations who DOESN'T want to be treated like a princess. Makorra one-shot.


**Disclaimer: disclaimed**

It's late, I'm tired, and WTF there's an actual kiss and the creators aren't hiding it? Seriously-if Makorra doesn't eventually become canon I'm gonna do something unpleasant.

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><p>To say Korra is embarrassed would be an understatement.<p>

She's the Avatar—master of water, fire, earth, and (soon) air. The safekeeping of the world rests on her shoulders. Without her, the Fire Ferrets wouldn't have made it very far at all in the Pro-Bending Championship tournament. Equalists hate her, not just because of who she is, but because of how good she is at it.

So after the initial _oh my god my leg is hurts like a bitch what is going on _phase passes, she wants to hit herself. The sphere of pain in her calf isn't a knife or an electro-wand or even a hand. In fact, there isn't anything at all.

Her leg is _cramping. _

"Korra!" a concerned voice yells, and the desire to jump off a building increases. Mako rounds a corner, looking harried, just as the aforementioned young woman pushes herself to her feet.

Only to yelp rather girlishly as she falls down again.

"I'm fine," she grumbles to his wide eyes, clawing feebly at the wall. "My leg hurts, that's all."

The firebender kneels in front of her, eyes on the collapsed Equalists surrounding her. "Did they hurt you?" he asks calmly.

In a moment of humor she gives him the full force of her glare and snaps, "No, Mako, the people who have sworn to take away everything I stand for actually wanted to stop for tea. What do you _think_?"

He raises an eyebrow (totally unfair; she _so _wishes she could do that) at her pseudo-rant. "Are you done?"

Korra humphs and leans on the wall for support. Without exchanging words, the two benders make sluggish progress down the alley where they were ambushed by Equalists. Again. It was really getting old.

Walking without using one's calf muscle, Korra realizes, is a tricky and slow business. It requires a lot more concentration than regular walking, which is what she blames on for not realizing Mako has picked her up until he actually has.

"Wha—" she squeals, and immediately blushes while flailing. "Put me down!"

Mako doesn't look bothered, and actually has the gall to roll his eyes. "If it takes us until sunrise to get back to the arena, we won't get any sleep," he reminds her, "And therefore, we won't be able to train."

Only after his makes this rather logical point does she cross her arms and sulk quietly. Although she's seen him train often and knows how powerful he is, the idea of mere physical strength is an unknown factor, and she's pleasantly surprised to note that he carries her without any problem at all. She's not a light girl, full of muscle, but his walking is as smooth and confident as when he's in the ring. The motion makes his abdominal muscles move against her, and she imagines tracing the defined six-pack. Even his smell is different this close to him, a mixture of smoke and mint that's odd but delicious. Without even noticing, she inhales it and absentmindedly burrows closer to him.

"You've got quite a mouth on you," he says with dry amusement.

Forcing her mind to jump from what he could've meant to what he actually said, Korra blurts intelligently, "Huh?"

Mako's deep chuckle reverberates through her. "You swear like a sailor. That's how I found you. It's not a very peaceful habit, don't you think?"

"God, not you too," she whines, "Sifu Tenzin's always yelling at me for my language. I've gotten a lot better; really!"

"You're not helping your argument," he points out, and his breath tickles her neck.

Fighting her rising flush, the Avatar snips, "Whatever," and goes silent.

As they pass through the streets people look at them curiously, but they're in the part of the city Mako grew up in and knows best; he nods to the people and shrugs his shoulders as if to say _what can you do when the girls literally throw themselves at you? _For her part, Korra curls into his shoulder and praises the Spirits for the lack of illumination and journalists.

Thankfully it's only a few minutes later that they get to the Arena, dark and empty. She feels Mako's hesitation, and immediately starts wriggling again. "I can walk up the damn stairs."

"Sure you can," he says breezily, and has the audacity to _throw her over his shoulder. _

Korra literally freezes in a mixture of fury and embarrassment before beginning to writhe harder than before. "Put me _down_!"

"You're being a child," chides the firebender, tightening his arm around her legs.

She argues, "Yeah, because you're carrying me like some war prize!"

"Like you'd ever let someone take you as a prize," he drawls.

"That's why this," she gestures widely, even though he can't see it, "is so humiliating." Childishly, she kicks her legs dangerously close to his face and threatens, "Mako, if you don't put me down _right now_, I will freeze your feet to the floor, so _help me _Spirits."

"Then I'll just melt it," the handsome firebender answers easily, "And if you can even do that, I'll be surprised. You had airbending training and a workout with us before that ambush, right?"

To no one's surprise, he's right. Korra's connection with the elements is straining in her weariness, and the effort to control what little water there is in the air is just too much. The steps are made of metal, so that takes care of earthbending, and she's pretty sure firebending to just tease him would ende in disaster. So with an overly-exaggerated sigh, she admits defeat.

He just grunts and rounds another staircase. Korra scowls ferociously and hangs loose over his shoulder, trying to make his job as hard as possible by not doing anything. Unfortunately, said tactic doesn't seem to actually do anything, and the two eventually reach Mako's apartment without any further incident. By this time the adrenalin has faded from her veins and her head is propped up by her elbow against her carrier's muscled back. When he opens the door, she lets out a loud yawn and looks around sluggishly.

"Where's Bolin?" Her voice is slurred with exhaustion.

"Out with some girl," the earthbender's brother replies nonchalantly, "I forget her name."

Too tired to argue about the brothers' misogynistic tendencies, Korra makes no more sounds until Mako unceremoniously dumps her on his brother's bed. For a second she stares up at him and he stares down at her and there's enough tension that you couldn't cut it with a knife. His eyes are unreadable, and just as she's about to open her mouth to remind him of how much of an _ass _he is, his jaw clenches.

"Ice," he says abruptly, "Ice and elevation." Still mumbling to himself, the firebender turns and stalks out of the shared room.

After a beat, the Avatar simply shrugs and steals his pillows to raise her calf after coating it with an inch-thick sheen of ice. The effort tires her too much to not be disconcerting. She lays back on the mat and closes her eyes; sighs quietly, trying to relax.

"No, not like that," comes Mako's voice.

She groans in frustration. "Don't you ever stop trying to _fix _things?" she demands and sits up, "I can take care of myself!"

His next question is asked in such a calm and determined voice that she's taken aback. "What if I _want _to take care of you?"

"I—" Korra begins, and in that second Mako's hand gently brushes her face. Her breath gets stuck somewhere in her throat.

"Korra," he breathes, and suddenly she realizes he's sitting on Bolin's mat also, "You don't have to take care of the whole world."

"Yes, I do," she whispers, caught in his eyes, "I'm the Avatar."

He shakes his head, eyes never leaving hers. "Let me help you." Gently heating his hands, the firebender places them over her calf. Quickly and efficiently the ice coating melts off and his warm hands are on her bare skin.

Brown eyebrows furrow in confusion. "What are you—"

Gentle fingers start probing her leg and for a moment, she sucks in a breath at how much it hurts. Mako's expression turns worried and he almost stops, but then Korra sighs in contentment as her clenched muscles start loosening. At the expression of gratification on the Avatar's face, the firebender grins to himself and continues massaging her calf.

She's nearly asleep when he stops, a leisurely smile and murmured "Thanks," all the communication he gets before sleep claims her. He watches her peaceful face for a moment and brushes a calloused thumb over it, mesmerized. Just before he climbs into bed the firebender leans over and, after a moment of hesitation, presses a gentle kiss to her forehead. "You don't have to do everything alone," he whispers, knowing Korra can't hear him. With a sigh, Mako climbs onto his own mat and turns away, resolving not to dream of blue eyes.

Her smile widening is unseen by him.

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><p>Also-to all my reviewers for "Where I Stood" and "Falling Slowly," I apologize for the delay on reviews, but I've been super busy with work and school. Thank you all again!<p>

And on that note...

Review!


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